Title: The Word Became Flesh

Text: John 1:1-18

Date: 12/24/2006.am

Introduction:

For many Christians worship, prayer and the Bible are merely superficial aspects of a formalized religion. We have heard of their importance and we, at least on some level, acknowledge them and believe in their importance. But, there is in reality no expectation of anything significant taking place apart from our own planned and expected agenda. When God’s reality does break through we’re shocked and amazed and sometimes confused.

Christmas is about God’s reality breaking into history. John’s account of the Christmas story goes directly to the heart of the matter without providing the external details of the nativity. These first eighteen verses of John tell us how the expected flow of time, history, and humanity was interrupted. The world in it’s on going mindless, heedless, drama of hate and sin is suddenly, and dramatically awakened by the introduction of God personally into human history. The darkness and mindless confusion of the world is illuminated by the brilliant light of God. The focal point of all humanity and all of history past, present and future had arrived, the eternal divine Word of God became flesh and dwelled among men.

The incarnation of Jesus was an act motivated by the deepest desire in the heart of God to have all humanity be restored to an intimate relationship with Him. It was not so much a matter of theology but of love.

Christmas is not a myth, not a tradition, not a dream. It is a glorious reality. It is a time of joy, it is a celebration of hope. Bethlehem’s manger became the link that bound a lost world to a loving God. From that manger came a Man, if he can be called a man, because he was fully human and fully divine – simultaneously. Nothing about his humanity could takeaway from his godliness; nothing about his godliness could takeaway from his humanity. He is the Man of both worlds; he is the bridge by which God comes to earth and people go to heaven. Only because that is true can He reconcile the Father in heaven perfect, holy and righteous with His children on earth imperfect, unholy and unrighteous. Jesus not only taught us a new way of living, but brought us into a new relationship with our Creator. Christmas shows that God is interested in the affairs of people, that God loves us so much that He was willing to give His Son. . (Billy Graham, “Decision,” email devotional 12/19/06)

John’s Gospel describes three important facets of Christmas

1. The Preexistence and Divine aspect of The Word 1-2

John begins his gospel by uniting the era of the Old Testament with a new era that has just begun with a clear reference to the opening words of Genesis. “In the beginning.” These words would be known and understood particularly by the Jewish people. They draw attention not to a particular moment in time, but to timeless eternity. When we read Genesis we understand God was already there in the beginning. He was already in existence.

There is no argument or apologetic to explain God’s existence. From a philosophical or scientific position there is no evidence presented to explain the existence of God or of matter itself for that matter. There is simply a statement of His existence. John does the same thing here when things that were not seen became things that were seen the Word already existed. The term used by John is “Logos.” I’m not going to do a study on that word this morning. When it is used in the NT twice as a proper noun in reference to Jesus it helps to explain the full significance of the incarnation to both Gentiles and Jews. It indicates that God the Son, by His person as well as by His words has the unique role of communicating the character of God to us and of expressing the will of God for us.

John’s use of the word Logos affirms the deity of Christ and lays the ground work for the introduction of Jesus as Messiah, the Christ, as fulfillment of God’s promises. It leaves no room for doubt, Jesus was not just a prophet, not just a good teacher, not just a charismatic religious leader, but He was God incarnate. He was not a god, He was the only God. He was not a created being, was not a part of the creation He existed in eternity with God the Father before creation. That’s very important for without the divinity there would be not Christmas.

2. The creative aspect of the Word 3-5

In verses 3-5 John moves from the Word’s preexistence and relationship with God in eternity to His relationship to creation. All things were created by Him and through Him.

John tells us that not only do all things owe their existence to Him, but in Him is Life itself. The Word is not only creative, it is the Word that gives life to everything there is.

John is not discounting biological or scientific knowledge, but his statement is inclusive of all scientific knowledge. The biological and scientific work only because God has declared it to be so and because He alone continues to sustain it and hold it together. Physical life does not, can not, and will not exist apart from God.

It is this fact of creation that gives human life meaning and distinguishes it from all other aspects of creation. God intentionally and purposefully created man in His image and by His design and allowed humanity the freedom to make choices. Because that freedom led man away from God, God in infinite love and mercy prepared the way of reconciliation and Christmas marks the beginning of that reconciliation.

3. The Introduction of the Word into human history 6-18

Verses 6-9 backtracks to tell of the witness of John the Baptist and his ministry to bear witness to the true light of the world and to point the world to the coming Christ.

John tells us of Messiah’s rejection by Israel. He came to His own who rejected Him v. 11. Not all Jews obviously rejected Jesus, but the established religion, the Jewish faith of which He was the fulfillment rejected Him. God promised Abraham that through him all nations would be blessed. Jesus was the fulfillment of that promise.

John then gives us his capsulized account of the Christmas story in verses 14-17. The Word, the Logos of God, became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, glory, John says, as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

His incarnation was full of grace and truth because the eternal Word becoming flesh is the greatest possible expression of God’s love and compassion for humanity. The incarnation is the most perfect revelation of divine truth.

John’s gospel identifies Jesus as being the Logos, the one who was face to face with God, who was God, who was the Agent of creation, who give life to all men. The Law revealed God’s righteous standard it was given through Moses, God’s grace and truth are superior to the Law, not that the Law is diminished as establishing God’s standard of righteousness, but that the Law finds it’s greatest fulfillment in God’s grace and truth which are exhibited in his attitude towards humans who could not keep the Law. This grace and truth are revealed John now says in Jesus who is the Christ.

And though no man has seen God, John says He is revealed to us through the only begotten. All that can be known by mankind about the true God is revealed in and through the life and the ministry of Jesus. And all that was revealed by the Living Word is recorded for us and given to us in the written Word.

Christmas means Jesus came into the world that you and I and all who believe might have life, not just physical life, but abundant, and eternal, life. There are many different religions in the world, many paths to enlightenment, to knowledge, to spirituality in some form, to understanding, maybe even to human fulfillment. But there is only one path to God and to eternal life and that is through faith in the Christ of Christmas.

Into the drama of human history, into the darkness of sin played out in the world. the light of God shined forth providing the only means of escaping an otherwise tragic ending. That’s what Christmas is about. “In truth, it's also about incomprehension, rejection, darkness, denial, stopped ears, and judgment.

Christmas is not about the living God coming to tell us everything's all right. John's Gospel isn't about Jesus speaking the truth and everyone saying "Of course! Why didn't we realize it before?" It is about God shining his clear, brilliant light, the light of His glory into the darkness of our world, our lives, our hearts, our imaginations—and the darkness not comprehending it.

Christmas is about God. It is about God as a baby born in a manger. It is about God being rejected by the world. It is about God come in the flesh to love those who did not love Him and to pay the price of sin for a world that rejected Him so that those who believed in Him might have eternal life.

What we call Christmas, John called the Incarnation of the eternal Word. The event all of creation had been waiting for and longing for. And creation along with humanity and even the people God were not ready for it.

Things haven’t changed much in the centuries since that original Christmas in Bethlehem. From over commercialization to the nth degree of political correctness the world is still not ready for Christmas.

Are you ready, not just for family celebrations or gift giving or even reading the Biblical account of the birth of Christ, but for the eternal Word of God entering into your world and your life, making a difference in how you think and act and who you serve. What will you do with Jesus this Christmas. Will you welcome His birth not only into the world but into your own life. Or will you miss that most wonderful event because of the distractions of the world? My prayer is that this Christmas and for all eternity you will allow Jesus to be Lord of all of your life.